The present invention relates generally to feeders for animals such as hogs, and more particularly to feeders of the type in which feed is dispensed from a bottom opening of an inclined hopper onto a shelf, the flow of feed controlled by means of vertically adjustable gates located at the bottom of the hopper which are actuated by means of a sliding cam member.
Traditional hog feeders comprise a feed trough with a feed hopper located above the trough. The feed hopper includes a pair of vertically aligned end walls and a pair of inclined and inwardly sloping longitudinal sides. A bottom discharge opening is located along each longitudinal side to allow feed contained within the hopper to gravity dispense into the trough. The size of each discharge opening is generally determined by a slideable gate positioned, adjacent the discharge opening and controlled by an adjustment mechanism. A typical adjustment mechanism, such as is shown in FIGS. 1-2 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,798 to Brent A. King, employs a pair of threaded rods, R1-R2 and R3-R4, each secured adjacent opposite ends of the slideable gate G, and extending vertically upward through a bushing B disposed in a horizontal cross-member H traversing the upper end of the hopper. The upper end of each rod is threaded to receive a threaded handle T, such that rotation of the threaded handled either raises or lowers the associated rod and the slideable gate G, relative to the horizontal cros-member H. Raising the gate increases the size of the discharge opening 0 through which the feed contained in the hopper may flow, and conversely, lowering the gate permits a reduction or stoppage of the feed flow.
Several drawbacks are apparent in the traditional hog feeder design. First, the adjustment mechanism for operating the slideable gates is disposed within the interior space of the hopper, and hence is continually surrounded by the feed stored within the hopper. This can lead to clogging or difficulty in operating the slideable gates, as the feed may interfere with the adjustment mechanisms. Second, the procedure by which a single slideable gate is adjusted requires the rotational actuation of two separate threaded handles, a time-consuming and tedious process. Without the operator carefully tracking the number of complete revolutions made by each handle, it is difficult to ensure the slideable gates are uniformly adjusted from one end to the other, and in comparison to the gate on the opposite side. Furthermore, the operator is often required to move around to the opposite side of the feeder to determine the actual adjustment of the second gate, often necessitating entering a second hog pen.
Accordingly, it is desirable to produce an adjustment mechanism for a hog feed having slideable gates which is not substantially disposed within the interior space of the feed hopper, and which employs a simple and efficient operating mechanism, allowing simultaneous adjustment of both ends of a gate, and operation of both gates from either side of the hopper.